Washington (CNN) - After six terms in the Senate, Indiana's Richard Lugar finds himself the latest target of the tea party movement's desire both to have more influence over the policy agenda in Congress and to make the Republican Party more conservative.

"He's an old RINO Republican," Jim Bratten, an Indiana coordinator for Tea Party Patriots, said of Lugar, meaning he's a Republican in name only. "He's been there [in Washington] for over 36 years, but gradually he's gotten closer and closer to the left, and he seems to want to compromise on things that are principle that you really can't compromise on."

Washington (CNN) - When Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine rocked the political world with her announcement that she would not seek a fourth term in the Senate, she was forthright in expressing her frustration with "an atmosphere of polarization" in politics.

But for all her transparency, it was one of Snowe's Senate colleagues who perhaps best summed up her motivation for deciding to end her decades-long tenure on Capitol Hill.

Washington (CNN) - Republicans looking to take back the White House in November face a challenging political environment, a trio of conservative political observers said Thursday at an annual gathering of conservative activists.

The recent controversy over health insurance coverage for contraception may help to turn out Catholic swing voters in key states, but the observers also said the Republican Party would do well to have its own positive agenda and clear messaging if it wants to unseat President Barack Obama.

Washington (CNN) - The 2010 Supreme Court ruling that allows unlimited contributions by corporations and unions has already affected the 2012 presidential campaign. But it could play a larger part in the balance of power in Congress this fall.

Voters in three states have been bombarded with television and Web advertising, automated phone calls and direct mailing, most of it directed against a candidate rather than in support of one. And in Florida, which votes Tuesday, spending is going up by the day.

That's how the Boston Herald began its December 28, 2011, editorial endorsing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's bid for the Republican presidential nomination. The editorial went on to refer to the "clown car nature" of the GOP presidential field and to the "deeply flawed candidacies of Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, and finally Newt Gingrich."

(CNN) - After a string of disappointing debate performances, the presidential campaign of Texas Gov. Rick Perry is signaling that Perry might be dialing back his participation in several planned televised Republican presidential primary debates.

The new tack raises the question: Can a major candidate with a track record of weak debate performances pass on nationally televised debates?

Washington (CNN) - As the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination has come into sharper focus, an unlikely figure has emerged - former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain.

A CNN poll of polls indicates that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is on top of the GOP field of candidates at 23%, and Cain is just three points behind. Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who was a front-runner in the national polls from late August through much of September, trails Cain at 14%. The CNN poll of polls is an average of the latest four national surveys in the GOP race. It was compiled and released Thursday,

Washington (CNN) - A leading Republican on fiscal and economic issues said Sunday that, in the midst of rampant disagreement in Washington about how best to turn around the faltering economy, he thinks the White House, Democrats, and his party may be able to reach a compromise on corporate tax rates.

Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, noted that in a recent speech President Obama spotlighted business tax reform and passage of trade agreements as two areas where agreement might be reached and legislative action could be taken soon. "Great," he said. "We agree with those. Let's do those. We're bringing these trade agreements up next week in the House. I think we'll pass these things."

WASHINGTON (CNN) - As the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination has begun to come into sharper focus, an unlikely figure has emerged.

"Herman Cain is surprising us all," Amy Kremer, chairman of the Tea Party Express, told CNN. Kremer quickly added that her organization is not ready to support a candidate yet and the tea party movement "hasn't really coalesced behind anybody."